Maya’s Big Question

Gr 1-4–Where are all the women? That is the big question Maya ponders after a class trip to Washington, DC, where her teacher parades the class past monuments, portraits, and statues all depicting important men of American history. Confused by not seeing any of the women she admires honored, Maya returns home discouraged. After a visit to her local national park and learning of a female park ranger there who championed the acknowledgment of women in history, Maya’s realizes that women are “right here!...They’ve always been here, just like they’ve always been a part of history!” As a result of that realization, Maya creates her own community monument celebrating the women of history as well as the women who are creating it in her community by working, serving, and helping. Beautifully illustrated, this book is a testament to anyone who has fought to see representation where it’s lacking.